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Monday, November 28, 2016

Rutland Chappell Cemetery - Cass County, Texas

The full title of the wall map shown below is: A New Map of The States Of Texas & California, The Territories Of Oregon, New Mexico, Utah and the Regions adjacent. It was published in 1852, the year my ancestors moved to Cass County.

The Warren family of Texarkana, TX (descendents of JTS Warren) are beginning the process of applying for a Historical Texas Cemetery designation by the Texas Historical Commission.

For those who don't know, the RC Cemetery is located on private property and in poor condition. Over the years it has become overgrown, un-cared for, and even vandalized. This is extremely unfortunate considering the cemetery's historical significance (it was most likely the first cemetery of Douglassville and is the resting place of the community's namesake, Col. John C. Douglass).

Eventually, we would like to get the cemetery certified as a State Historic Site, but it must first be designated as a HTC. Here are the benefits of an HTC designation:

Records the cemetery location and boundaries in the county deed records as a historically dedicated cemetery worthy of preservation.

Helps preserve cemeteries by alerting present and future landowners of the presence of this important historical resource on their property.

Documents the cemetery's current conditions through photographs and maps, details that may be necessary for emergency management in cases such as vandalism, fire, or other natural disasters is a prerequisite for applying for an Official Texas Historical Marker for the cemetery.

WE WANT YOUR HELP AND SUPPORT IF YOU ARE A DESCENDENT OF SOMEONE BURIED IN RUTLAND CHAPPELL CEMETERY!